God bless!

Sunshine’sReflections

Good morning! Happy Friday to you all! I want to wish you all a blessed and safe Memorial holiday weekend.

TFTD: He has His hand on you

1 Peter 5:7 (New King James Version)

7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Yesterday I was home with my son because he has a stomach virus. As a parent when a child becomes ill you forfeit your sleep, your comfort, and your routine all so that you can tend to the needs of your child. Your sole purpose is making sure they are comfortable and aid in any way necessary to their recovery. My husband and I took him to the doctor and it was there that the doctor gave us specific instructions on how to care for our son and help him have a full recovery.

That is much like God. When we are spiritually sick, God forfeits His comfort, His routine, and more to tend to you. Let’s not forget He never slumber or sleeps. There is never a moment in time where God is not actively moving on your behalf. He has His hand on you. There are specific instructions that must be carried out in order to care for you properly and only God can do those things. What works for one person will not work for another. He has His hand on you. You may be spiritually weak, spiritually dehydrated, spiritually fatigued, spiritually incoherent, but God places His hand on you because He cares for you.

It is wonderful to know that God has his Hand on me. You should rejoice in the fact that God has His hand on you. That means that you are never alone. Someone is spiritually sick today and God is ready to nurse you back to a full recovery. It is so good to know that He has His hand on you!

Have a blessed weekend in the Lord.

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning! Happy Wednesday. You have made it to the hump. I pray that you have a blessed day and that you sail through this beautiful day in praise.

Youth Matter-Sew a seed

Galatians 6:10 (New King James Version)

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

As the 2009-2010 school year is coming to an end the children are faced with many test, projects, reports, exams, assignments and more. A lot of children and teenagers have begun taking their SOL (Standards of Learning) test. Many of them have AR (Accelerated Reader) points due, verbal and written examinations on a vase array of subjects and all of these things are contingent on them passing to the next grade level.

Imagine the pressure and stress that our youth may be experiencing. Sometimes we can over look the children in our community, church, and even in our homes because we expect them to do well because that is what they are supposed to do: go to school and get a good education.

I want to challenge every adult reading this to sew a seed into a child’s life today. You don’t know how far a few dollars would go, a kind and encouraging word, a nice sweet treat (kids love ice cream, candy, etc), a hug, or a card. We can demonstrate to the kids in our community that we care. We can acknowledge that test are hard and school can be a challenge at times. We can show them that we are here to support them and pray for them as they come to end of this chapter.

Let’s encourage our youth to the finish line of the 2009-2010 school year. Think about how many children you come in contact with on a day-to-day basis; when was the last time you asked them how school was going or offered them an encouraging word?

Let’s sew a seed! Today and everyday our youth do and will matter!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS TESTING TODAY, THIS WEEK, NEXT WEEK, AND UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. GOD IS WITH YOU. ALLOW HIM TO BRING ALL OF THE MATERIAL BACK TO YOUR REMEMBRANCE! GOD BLESS!

Have a blessed!

Mrs. Nicole“Sunshine”Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Reflections

Genesis 19:17 (New King James Version)

17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”

Have you ever met someone who is so consumed with their past that when they talk about it, they make it sound like their present? Have you ever met someone who is unable to enjoy the blessings that are before them today because they are so consumed with thinking about what could have been?

I want to encourage someone: DON’T LOOK BACK! Many of us heard the story of Lot’s wife. God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of all the sin that was in the city. Lot was instructed to take his wife and daughters and leave the city so that they would not be destroyed. God extended mercy to Lot and His family. They were instructed to not look back or stay anywhere near the city. But Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

When we accept Christ we are called to escape from our former lives and don’t look back. The problem is some of us stay near the vicinity of our past. Instead of turning into a pillar of salt we block blessings, we damage relationships, we hinder ministry, and the list goes on. If you spend too much time looking back you could miss what is right in front of you.

Women stop looking back to former lovers while you have a great man with you now. You can ruin a great relationship because you are looking back. Men stop looking back to past careers wondering how successful you could have been. You can miss a promotion at your current job. People stop looking at your old churches saying what they did and how they did it and how you miss it. You can hinder ministry at your current church because you are too busy complaining about what they do not do.

DON’T LOOK BACK! Some of you look at old homes, old friends, old relationships, old attitudes, old habits, old jobs and begin reminiscing so long and hard that you neglect your present and miss your blessings in the right now. God extended mercy to you and got you out of some bad situations and in other cases He elevated you from good places to better places. Don’t look back. There is nothing there for you. I know you may get tempted to look back but look towards the Lord. Trust in Him that He will lead you to greater things but you can’t look back.

Food for thought: God wants to get your attention on the highway of life but you are about to cause a spiritual accident because you keep looking back. Keep your eyes on the road ahead. God will take you to great places. Stop looking back!

Have a blessed day. Is looking back worth missing out on your blessings?

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine”Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning! Happy Monday to you all! I had a blessed weekend. I pray that you did too. No matter what your day looks like always locate the blessing within it.

TFTD: Time to stretch

Matthew 17:20 (New King James Version)

20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

We stretch before and after we exercise. Ladies we stretch out our panty hose before we put them on. We stretch out those new shoes that look oh so good but hurt a little when we walk. We stretch out those new jeans. There are so many things that we stretch out in the physical. Now is the time to stretch out in the spiritual.

It’s time to stretch out your vision. It’s time to stretch out your faith. You have allowed your vision and goals to fit neatly into a small box. It’s time to burst out of the box. It’s time to stretch your faith to limits beyond your comprehension. God wants to do some big things in your life, but in order for Him to do them He is going to have to stretch you.

It’s time to stretch. There are some things that have been tugging at your heart-strings. You have been tossing back and forth between should I do this or not. Will I make it or not. Can I afford this or not. All you need is faith as small as a mustard seed. NOTHING will be impossible for you with God on your side.

It’s time to stretch. Stretching can be uncomfortable and often times hurts especially when you haven’t stretched in a long time. Stretch your vision God has a plan for your life. Start stretching now.

Have a blessed day. God is stretching me beyond my limits and I am crazy enough to believe that He will carry me through.

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Reflections

Happy Friday! You made it to the end of the work week and school week. I pray that you all have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

TFTD: A little of your time

Invitation from God

By: Nicole Ellis

God invited me to lunch today

Much like He normally does

I’m just so preoccupied with life

I didn’t recognize who it was

Who it was that quietly called my name

Encouraging me to commune with Him

Knowing that I would never be the same

God invited me to lunch today

And I gladly accepted the invitation.

There are 24 hours in a day and many of us are so busy with other things that we forget to give the Lord a little of our time. He has been speaking softly in your ear to join Him for lunch, a walk in the park, quiet time in your car, a few moments before you rush off to work and so much more.

Give the Lord a little of your time and watch your desire to be with Him grow.

Food for thought: God has been inviting you to spend time with Him. What or who has been taking up all of your time? It’s time to make time for the Lord.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine”Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good morning! Happy Thursday to you all!

Psalm 119:11 (New King James Version)

11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

Each day you will be challenged mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Many of the battles that we encounter are spiritual. We wrestle with living in this world but not being of this world. An author and forgive me for not knowing the name said, “we are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience”.

When I saw that I was like, “Wow, I didn’t think of life in that way”. I’m a spiritual being who has to hide the Word of God in my heart in order to make it in this human experience. We all have an example to set and we can not do that without being equipped. It’s not enough to go to church every Sunday, we have to read and study the Word of God. We have to memorize and recite the Word of God. We must hide the Word in our hearts so that we will not sin against God.

Have you ever experienced a time where you stopped surrounding yourself with the people of God and the things of God and everywhere you turned you seem to be attacked by the enemy? Did it feel overwhelming? Did you feel ambushed? When you stay away from the things of God it’s easy to be caught off guard with temptations, test, and trials.

Hide the Word of God in your heart and stay close to Him. When you hide the Word in your heart you will not be caught off guard. Why? Because you are equipped to stand up against sin. You are ready for the spiritual battle that will come your way.

Food for thought: What are you hiding in your heart today; hate or the Word, jealousy or the Word, malice or the Word, sin or the Word?

I encourage you to hide the Word in your heart that you may not sin against God.

Have a blessed day in the Lord!

Mrs. Nicole“Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Reflections

Good afternoon! I know you were looking for your TFTD. Happy Wednesday to you all! We made it to the hump! I pray that you all are having a blessed week.

TFTD: You don’t know the cost

Matthew 26:6-9 (New King James Version)

6 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table.8 But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

Have you ever encountered a person or people who will look at someone and say:

How did they get that job?

How did they get to be a supervisor?

Are they even qualified?

Why do they worship like that?

Why are they at church every day?

How did they get that house, car, clothes, etc.?

Who made them leader of that ministry?

Why do they get to sing that solo?

Why does everyone like them?

How come they always get recognized?

and the list goes on and on…

Does any of this sound familiar or a variation of it might sound familiar? Sometimes people will look at you and wonder why you get to do all the things that you do and why do you have all that you have, but they do not know the cost. If you happen to be the person who has been doing this to others, be careful about judging people or questioning a persons sincerity because you don’t know the cost. You don’t know the price they had to pay.

One of our problems as people are that we try to put our nose in places that did not solicit or require our attention. What you do and how you do things for the Lord should not be the concern of people who are sitting on the sideline complaining all of the time. People will be quick to say they can do your job better than you can, but they don’t know the cost of you studying for your bachelors or your masters degree. People are eager to discredit your consistent praise and worship, but they don’t know the cost of the late nights, tears, and hurt you had to endure to get to this elevated praise. People will say that you are not qualified or good at being a leader of whatever ministry that you serve in, but they don’t know the cost of when you labor before the Lord early in the morning and late at night just so that a program can go off without a hitch. THEY DON’T KNOW THE COST!

If people knew the “cost” that went into you being a supervisor, being a good parent, being a leader in the community, being blessed with the favor of God, being a consistent and persistent worshipper, having that house, car, clothes, children, and more they would think twice about judging you. They would think twice about saying that they could do better than you.

Instead of criticizing and putting people down take a moment to say, “Lord I don’t know the cost they had to pay to be where they are today, but continue to bless them and keep them.”“Lord work on me so that when you elevate me I will be humble and gracious for the transition.”

Be careful about questioning others, YOU DON’T KNOW THE COST they had to pay to get to where God carried them.

Food for thought: The price of someone else’s praise and blessings are higher than you can afford.

Have a blessed day!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine”Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Word of the Day

Job 11:13 (New King James Version)

Preparation is the act of preparing. To prepare means to put oneself or things in readiness.

I’ve discovered that we are a selfish people. We often prepare for the things that benefit us in the flesh. We put more preparation into what we are going to wear, where we are going to go for vacation, what we are going to eat, what concert we will attend, and much more. Yet we will come before the Lord without any preparation.

As believers we must make the necessary preparations to worship the Lord. How much time do you spend getting ready to come into the presence of the MOST HIGH? How much planning and preparation takes place in your daily life to ensure that you are always ready for a worship experience with the Lord?

Preparation is necessary. I dare you to begin preparing your heart to encounter the Lord. He prepared so much for us that we should make Him priority in our life. I know you heard the saying “Come as your are”, but I want to challenge you to come prepared to worship. If God meets you at your desk, in your car, in the store, in the street, in your doctor’s office, at your children’s school or even at church you should be ready to receive Him in worship and praise.

How much preparation do you put in to encounter the Lord?

I pray that you take time examining your spiritual life and personal relationship with the Lord. Jesus went to prepare a place for us in glory and the least that we can do and should want to do is begin preparing to encounter Him.

Have a blessed day!

Are you prepared? God is coming back one day. Do not let Him catched you unprepared.

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine”Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.

Sunshine’s Reflections

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL! This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. I pray that you all have a blessed day in the Lord.

TFTD: Change is necessary to grow

Ephesians 4:21-24 (New King James Version)

21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior then a change will and must occur. You must remove the “clothes” of your former sinful self. The things you use to do, the places that you use to go, the people who you use to hang out with and the things that you use to say that were contrary to the will of God must cease. Change is necessary and required in order to operate under your new self.

We’ve all experienced change in our lives in some capacity both small and large, both wanted and unwanted, both initiated and un-initiated. Some people say that they do not like change. That change is difficult. Change is painful. If it’s not broke don’t fix it. We’ll I want to encourage someone today as I encourage myself that change is necessaryif you are going to grow.

There are areas in our life in which change can be gradual, like when a baby grows into a toddler, to a child, to an adult. This gradual change is necessary for the bones to grow stronger, the organs to develop properly, the senses to develop and become more alert. But when you are looking for drastic results in your spiritual life change must be intentional, immediate, and have a sense of urgency.

There should be a sense of urgency to grow in the Lord. You should not wait for God to change you, you should run to Him pleading for a change. Read and study the Word of God, surround yourself around people who are going somewhere in the Lord, surround yourself with people who will hold you accountable to your desired change. Oh, change is necessary to grow.

When you put on this “new man” and walk in the way of the Lord you will encounter a change that will make you uncomfortable at times and make others uncomfortable. Yet, this change is necessary to grow. You will encounter growing pains because there are times when the truth of the Lord will make you say “OUCH”.The truth hurts, but much like that band-aid on that wound its better to rip it off quickly and allow the pain to take place and then subside instead of gradually pulling the band-aid off allowing the pain to linger longer than it has to.

Food for thought: Change is necessary to grow and it’s time to be intentional, deliberate and immediate with our change. Have a sense of urgency when it comes to changing for the Lord!

Mrs. Nicole “Sunshine” Ellis

Can’t breathe: Try Spiritual CPR: Consistent in praying, Persistent in pursuing the knowledge of God, and Resistant to temptation.